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Premier League | Gameweek 32
Mar 30, 2019 at 12.30pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

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Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Benjamin Mendy all fit for Man City

De Bruyne, Stones, Mendy all fit for Man City
© Reuters
Kevin De Bruyne, Benjamin Mendy, Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany are all available again.

Pep Guardiola has close to a fully-fit squad as Manchester City resume their quadruple quest at Fulham this weekend.

The Premier League champions had fitness doubts over a number of players heading into the recent international break.

But Kevin De Bruyne, Benjamin Mendy, Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany are all fit after spells on the sidelines and Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones have overcome knocks.

That puts them in a strong position heading into an intense spell with fixtures in three competitions in the coming weeks.

City manager Guardiola said: “Everybody came back fit and, except Fabian Delph, the others are fit and we have 21-22 players. That’s good.

“They have to compete with each other to take a place in their position.

“We play now two games in the Premier League, then the FA Cup, then Champions League. Game by game. We know what we have to do to fight until the end.”

City, who have already won the Carabao Cup this season, can reclaim top spot in the Premier League – for a day at least – with victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

  1. Fulham (a) Premier League
  2. Cardiff (h) Premier League
  3. Brighton (n) FA Cup
  4. Tottenham (a) Champions League
  5. Crystal Palace (a) Premier League
  6. Tottenham (h) Champions League
  7. Tottenham (h) Premier League
  8. Manchester United (a) Premier League

Eight games then follow in April including an FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and a two-legged Champions League quarter-final clash with Tottenham.

They have a minimum of 11 games remaining in what could be an historic campaign and, although Guardiola has often played down quadruple talk, he is aware of the challenge ahead.

He said: “We are going to play 11 games, definitely. To play 12, maybe 14, maybe 15, we have to deserve it. We have eight left in the Premier League and game by game we will see what happens.”

Fulham have endured a miserable season and appear to be heading back down to the Championship after just one year.

Scott Parker's Fulham provide the opposition to Manchester City on Saturday
Scott Parker’s Fulham provide the opposition to Manchester City on Saturday (Adam Davy/PA)

The Cottagers, now under the charge of their third manager this season in Scott Parker, are 19th in the table and 13 points off safety after losing their last seven games.

But Guardiola said: “I saw the last three games and against tough opponents they were close. They try to play like with (Slavisa) Jokanovic in the beginning. They didn’t take points but they played well.

“(Aleksandar) Mitrovic in the box is so dangerous and they have good quality players, (Ryan) Babel is so fast. I don’t see the table, I see how they do. They are not getting results but they are doing well.”

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Arsenal20117239182140
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
4Chelsea20106439241536
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle20105534221235
6Manchester CityMan City2010463627934
7Bournemouth209653023733
8Aston Villa209563032-232
9Fulham197842825329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2061043029128
11Brentford208393835327
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs20731042301224
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham206592439-1523
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace204972128-721
16Everton193881525-1017
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester2035122344-2114
20Southampton2013161244-326


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